Post cap



April 20, 1943. G. F. BARNETT 2,317,125

POST CAP iled July 2, 1941 INVENTOR. 65096: F. BAkNET 7- ATTQIQNE Y's.

nailing the side flanges i-l thereto.

Patented Apr. 20, 1943 UNlTED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to post caps of the type used in the erecting of timber frames in buildings and like structures.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplify the construction and operation of post caps of the character described, to provide a post cap which is adapted to be made from sheet metal by punch and forming dies, and which requires a minimum of labor in its application to timbers, to provide a post cap which will provide a rigid juncture between posts and horizontal timbers supported thereon, and which is perforated to permit the timbers to be tied together by nailing, to provide a post cap which permits two horizontal timbers to be joined end to end on top of a post and then rigidly joined and secured, and further, to provide a device of the character described which will entirely eliminate notching or mortising of timbers of toe-nailing of the same when assembling them during erection.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the post cap;

Figure 2 shows the shape of the blank from which the post cap is formed.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly to Figure 2, A indicates a plate formed from sheet metal, steel, or the like. It is provided with four cuts, two outs in one side, as in dicated at 4-4, and two cuts in the opposite side, as shown at 55. This method of cutting again forms two pairs of flanges, one pair being indicated at 6--6 and the other pair at 1--'|, the flanges 6-6 being bent along the dotted lines 611 in an upward direction and at right angles to the plane of the plate, and the flanges 1--'! being bent along the dotted lines la in a downward direction and at right angles to the plane of the plate, all as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This type of post cap is particularly intended for receiving horizontal timbers which abut each other on top of the post indicated at D, the abutting timbers being indicated at E-E. The post cap is applied as follows the plate A is placed directly on top of the post and it is then secured to the post by The flanges 66 will engage opposite sides of the timbers E-E, and as the flanges 66 are perforated at each end, nails may be driven into the respective timbers, thus permanently anchoring them with relation to each other and also to the post. By cutting the plate as indicated at 4 and 5 in Fig, 2 the flanges 5-6 become longer, and

this is obviously desirable where two horizontal timbers are to be joined.

Similarly the flanges 'l--1 become shorter but it adds flanges 8 at four points which strengthens the side flanges 6-6 and adds additional supporting area to the plate A. The post cap shown in Fig. 1 may be said to be channel shaped as the sides 6B form the side flanges of a channel and the plate A and the extensions 8 form the Web of a channel. This web being cut at 4-4 at each end and the cut portion being bent downwardly to form the flanges 7-4. The post cap is exceedingly simple in construction, and as it is formed from sheet metal by cutting and forming dies, the labor cost of manufacture is maintained at a minimum. Similarly, the post cap is easy to apply when the timbers are being erected and labor cast is thus reduced. The cap may be made as rigid as desired by forming them of sheet metal of suitable thickness, and a strong rigid anchor is thus formed between the post and the horizontal timber or timbers supported thereby. All notches and mortising in assembling timbers is thus done away with, and such costly operations are entirely eliminated. While the post cap is here shown as applied to the upper ends of uprights or timbers such as indicated at B and D it should be understood that they may also be placed on the upper ends of concrete piers in which case the down turned flanges 1! become anchored in the concrete and as such are secured thereto without nailing.

While this and other features of the invention have been more or less specifically described for purposes of illustration, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, and that the materials and finish of the various parts employed may be varied according to what the experience of the manufacturer and varying conditions of use may demand.

Having thus described and illustrated my invention, what I claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A post cap comprising a channel shaped member having a pai of upwardly extending side flanges and a Web portion and said web having spaced apart pairs of cuts at each end to form a pair of end flanges of less width than the web and bent downwardly from the web and at right angles thereto.

2. A post cap comprising a channel shaped member having a pair of upwardly extending side flanges and a web portion and said web having spaced apart pairs of cuts at each end to form a pair of end flanges bent downwardly from the web and at right angles thereto, said end flanges being narrower than the web to form a pair oi supporting flanges at each end of the web which are disposed at right angles to the side flanges and formed integral therewith.

3. A post cap comprising a channel shaped member having a pair of upwardly extending side flanges and a web portion and said web having spaced apart pairs of cuts at each end to form a pair of end flanges which are bent downwardly from the web and at right angles thereto, said end flanges being narrower than the web so as to form a pair of narrow supporting surfaces at each end of the web in the same plane as the web and disposed at right angles to the side flanges.

GEORGE F. BARNETT. 

